by Simon Haynes
Five minutes later she was sitting on a polished bench top in the bathroom, next to one of the stainless steel sinks. She'd already drank her fill, and was now busy ripping the lab coat into broad strips. She soaked them in the basin, and after carefully removing her shoe, she strapped her swollen ankle until her entire foot was rigid. The cool water in the bandages soothed the pain a little, and when she tested her weight on the floor she found she could support herself. It still hurt badly, but it was good enough to hobble around. One thing was for sure, though. She wouldn't be running with Harriet any time soon.
Alice left the bathroom and looked around the lab. It was a huge area, filled with shadowy recesses into which the dim emergency lights barely reached. The place was deserted, but people had dropped everything they were doing when they left, and she was certain they'd be back as soon as the power was restored. That might be hours or minutes, and she had no way of telling.
Now that she could walk, just, the smart thing to do would be to take the steps to the surface and escape.
So, of course, she decided to explore the lab. She knew it was dumb, but there might be a service elevator at the back, or a litte-used door like the one she'd used upstairs. But mostly it was because she'd promised Harriet she'd stay put, and if the power came back on all of a sudden, she could just about make her hiding place before everyone returned to the lab.
There was another reason to search the place. While they were both hiding under the stairs, Harriet told her Canitt might really be doing something illegal. Imagine how pleased she'd be if Alice found some evidence! There were bound to be Peace Force rules preventing Harriet digging around, but anything Alice turned up … well, she wasn't Peace Force, was she?
First, she went to look at the big stainless steel vats, pulling a face when she saw the gross lumps of goo floating in the soupy green liquid. Then she went further into the lab, limping between the vats in the darkness. The light was poor, and she kept an eye out for pipes and cables - trip over down here, and she might crack her skull … or twist her other ankle.
She reached the back wall, where there was another set of glass doors. She swiped the card she'd found, and the doors opened promptly. Beyond, there was another area with more vats, but these had a golden hue, and the liquid inside was a pinkish red colour. She walked to the nearest and stood on tiptoes to peer inside. As she did so, a disembodied eyeball floated past, turning slowly in the fluid. It was followed by another, then a severed hand with wrinkled white skin.
Alice covered her mouth and backed away, horrified. She stared at the big golden tanks, her eyes wide. What kind of house of horrors was this? Canitt was supposed to be growing some kind of fake meat, not filling vats with of body parts! Harriet's warning came to her, and she realised she'd uncovered evidence all right - evidence of murder, body snatching and who knew what else.
Feeling sick, she turned away, determined to hide from the bloodthirsty lunatics who ran the place. At that moment all the lights came back on, blindingly bright after the dim emergency lights. Alice realised she had seconds to make it back to safety, and she all but ran to the main lab. She ignored the pain from her ankle as she pushed herself onwards, and, after using the card on the main doors, she made a beeline for the stairwell.
At that second the elevator pinged. Alice dashed past the doors and flattened herself against the wall just as the lift doors swept open, and she could only hold her breath as several people left the elevator. They went to the glass doors, where one of them used a swipe to gain access. As they stepped through, Alice felt for the handle behind herself, and, opening the stairwell door a crack, she slipped through.
She practically dived for the stairwell, where she curled up in the shadows, hugging her knees. When she closed her eyes she could still see those floating eyeballs, turning slowly in the golden-hued tank. She shivered, and vowed to sit tight and wait for Harriet no matter how long it took.
Chapter 20
Bernie took her time getting ready for the interview. She tested markers on the board, ham-fistedly shuffled sheets of paper until she was happy with the order, and then finally cleared her throat and eyed her prisoner. Harriet wanted to jump up and scream at her, but she knew it would be a complete waste of effort. The robot was determined to go through with this game of hers, and all Harriet could do was wait until she found out what was happening, and then deal with it calmly and rationally.
Bernie took a black marker and drew a pyramid on the board with swift strokes, almost knocking the thing over. Then she added large circles: one at the top, three just below it, another six under those and, finally, a dozen more at the base. "This diagram represents Melvin Canitt's criminal enterprise," she said, her voice serious. "Canitt himself is at the apex, naturally." So saying, she wrote his name in a dot-matrix typeface, buzzing the tip of the pen on the board to form perfect lettering. "Below him are three subordinates. Willis and Finch I have already identified, from a recording obtained —"
That was too much. "I know about the recording," said Harriet. "I got it for you!"
"The suspect will remain silent until questioned," said Bernie mildly. She wrote the two names on the board, leaving one of the three circles on the second row empty. Then she wrote an X inside it. "We shall call this person 'X' for the time being."
Frustrated at the robot's plodding pace, Harriet closed her eyes and took several deep breaths. It was supposed to be a damned interview — or an interrogation. Shouldn't Bernie be asking questions? Then again, she didn't know the Peace Force's attitude towards torture, so perhaps the longer it took, the better.
Next, Bernie wrote numbers one to six in the third row of circles. "These represent the lowest echelon of people in the know, so to speak. They are aware of the illegal operation, but do not have a say in it. They are all well-paid to ensure their loyalty." Bernie switched to a green pen and placed zeros in all the remaining circles, until they looked like a row of eyeballs. "Finally, we have the regular staff. These are security guards, secretaries, general workers. They have no idea what the company is doing, and are paid ordinary wages. Turnover is high, which prevents anyone getting a handle on Canitt's operation."
"And so we return to X," said Bernie. "I was looking for someone working behind the scenes, someone who kept to the shadows so their links with the operation could not be easily proven.
"All right, who is it then? Who's this X?"
"Why, I should have thought that was obvious." Bernie regarded her coolly. "In my mind it is beyond doubt that you, Harriet Walsh, are X."
* * *
Walsh stared at the robot in shock, then burst out laughing. "That's the most ridiculous thing I've heard in a long, long time," she said at last, when she could breathe again. "Are you saying I came in here, signed up for the Peace Force … and within twenty-four hours I decided to join the other side? Are you suggesting I became a criminal?"
"Look at the facts. You recently travelled with Canitt. Indeed you sat right beside him."
"What? But you booked that seat!"
"During the flight, you accepted a bribe."
What the hell was Bernie on about now? Harriet cast her mind back, but the only thing Canitt had given her was … "Bernie, it was peanuts."
"The amount of the bribe is immaterial. It's still a bribe."
"No, I mean it was really peanuts. He didn't want them, so he offered them to me."
"Be that as it may, earlier today you just happened to lunch at the same establishment."
"Okay, and who booked that? Plus I had Alice with me. Do you think she's Y or Z or something, or have you run out of letters?"
Bernie frowned. "We will get to the pickpocket soon. In the meantime, during lunch there was plenty of time for you to arrange a private meeting with Canitt. And later, when I ordered you back to the station, you ignored me and went to see him instead."
"I was looking for Alice! And Bernie … I never heard of Canitt before yesterday."
"Yet you picked his
name from the passenger lists, as I knew you would."
Harriet could only shake her head. Something had gone wrong in the robot's brain, that was the only explanation.
"I have more evidence," said Bernie.
"Good, I could use another laugh right now."
Bernie tapped the board. "X served as a liaison between Canitt and the hospital where he was selling organs. The moment you were busy with the Peace Force, he was forced to send another person to make a delivery in your place. Isn't that a remarkable coincidence?"
"When was I supposed to be in and out of hospitals?" Harriet's eyes narrowed. "Oh no," she said, her voice barely a whisper. "Don't you dare!"
"Indeed, Harriet Walsh. You visited the hospital on numerous occasions over the past —"
"I SAID NO!" shouted Harriet, and she pulled at the chain with all her might. "Don't you DARE bring Auntie into this, you bloody monster."
"It was the perfect cover," said Bernie mildly. "An ailing relative —"
"STOP!" shouted Harriet. "I'm not listening to any more of this crap. I'm out, you hear? I quit! I quit the Peace Force!"
* * *
"Good." Bernie leaned closer. "I cannot work with someone who does not share my devotion to the Peace Force."
Harriet stared at her stupidly. "What … what about X?"
"X never existed." Roughly, Bernie wiped the board with her hand, leaving deep scratches. "That was a ruse to flush out the truth. And the truth has been revealed: you are unsuited to a career in the Peace Force. All the actions I took to get you here were wasted effort." Bernie fumbled with Harriet's cuffs, finally taking them between her big hands and snapping them open. "Go, Harriet Walsh. Leave!"
Harriet got up and backed away quickly, before Bernie changed her mind. "I was happy to stay, until you—"
"Nonsense. It was all about money, was it not? You had me pay your debts, you pretended to care and yet as soon as a better offer came along …" Bernie snorted and turned her back. "Leave me."
At that moment, Harriet realised something. Canitt's job, with the travel and the other planets and so on … she didn't want it. She'd have time to go exploring in the future, but right now she wanted to become an officer in the Peace Force. She was certain that's what Auntie would have chosen for her, had she only read the letters Bernie kept sending. "Bernie, I didn't really mean it. You got me riled up about Auntie."
"Harriet Walsh, I spent six years trying to get you into this office. It has only taken me twenty-four hours to realise it was a mistake."
"That's a bit harsh. I only got your first letter three weeks ago."
"So you say."
"Bernie, six years ago I was fifteen years old. I was more worried about boys and dating than the Peace Force."
"Some things never change," said Bernie acidly.
Harriet had a sudden flash of insight. "Is that what this is about? Oh my God, you're jealous?"
Bernie was silent.
"Look, Canitt offered me a job, but I was never going to take it. I want to stick around here, believe me."
"The Peace Force is for life, Trainee Walsh." Bernie half-turned towards her. "One does not simply stick around."
Harriet felt a flash of hope. The robot had called her Trainee Walsh again! "Bernie, whatever set you off, believe me. I'm glad you found me, I'm glad I answered your letter and I really want to be an officer in the Peace Force. When I said I quit … I didn't really mean it." She righted the whiteboard, which had toppled over when Bernie tried to clean it off. "Now, if it's all right with you, I must go and get Alice back."
Bernie finally turned to face her. "There will be no more talk of other jobs?"
"None. I'm Dismolle Peace Force through and through." Harriet paused. "There is one thing, though. If you ever arrest me again, I will end you."
Bernie smiled. "Now you are talking like a Peace Force officer."
"I'm just going to grab some equipment, and then —"
"Trainee Walsh, it's time I revealed a certain fact about your training mission."
"Can't it wait?"
"No, it's very important."
"All right, but be quick. What fact are you talking about?"
"Chiefly, the fact it wasn't just a training mission."
And, not for the first time that day, Harriet could only stare at the big robot in shock.
* * *
Harriet wasn't quiet for long. "I'm sorry, but … what?"
"It's simple." Bernie spread her hands. "Canitt is a genuine suspect. His company is under investigation, and you have been performing real Peace Force work."
"That's impossible!" said Harriet, aghast. "I'm just a trainee! And Canitt … I sat next to him on the flight. He was completely normal!" Then she remembered something. "Wait … you knew about this, and you let me take Alice to that lunch meeting?"
"I tried to prevent it," said Bernie mildly. "You insisted."
"She's just a kid!"
"On the contrary, you assured me she was eighteen."
"But—"
"You told me you inspected her ID."
"I made that up, you great tin lump!" shouted Harriet.
"That is … unfortunate."
"And this bloody mission of yours … why didn't you warn us we were in danger?" Harriet was absolutely furious now. It was bad enough the robot had put her in harm's way, but to let Alice go along with her was callous in the extreme.
"This is standard procedure for new recruits. Early missions are always presented as training scenarios, since it gives recruits a feeling of confidence and obviates —"
"Look, I don't care, all right? My God, if they find Alice snooping around they'll kill her."
"I find that unlikely."
"You're not the one trapped in that building with a busted ankle!" snapped Harriet. "Listen, I have one priority, and that's getting Alice back. After that, you and I are going to have words." Fuming, she ran for the garage. She'd take Steve and drive right into Canitt's office if she had to, straight through the front window with sirens blaring and lights flashing. On the way to the garage she heard Bernie's heavy tread behind her. "Stay away from me, Bernie. I'm warning you!"
"Trainee Walsh, I wish to help."
"No! You've done plenty already!"
"You cannot go into that building without backup."
"Are you offering to come with me?" Despite her anger, Harriet felt a ray of hope. With Bernie by her side she would be invincible.
"I cannot leave the office, Trainee Walsh."
"Sure you can. There's a big hole when the front doors open all the way. Even you could fit through that."
"No, you don't understand. I am under strict orders to remain inside the building."
"You can never go outside? Ever?"
"That is correct."
Harriet was silent. If Canitt was a genuine crook, having Bernie along would have been more than just backup. It might have meant the difference between life and death. Then, all of a sudden, she thought of something. Bernie usually didn't so much get the wrong end of the stick as grab the wrong end of the whole damn tree. What if the robot was wrong about Canitt? What if her elaborate case against him was a bunch of circumstantial evidence and guesswork? What if the guy really was a mild-mannered businessman, rather than the super-villain Bernie was making him out to be? Well, Harriet thought grimly, I'll go in prepared and we can figure that out later.
"There is one way I may be able to accompany you," said Bernie suddenly.
"Go on," said Harriet eagerly.
"In order to countermand the original order, we need a superior officer."
"Oh great, I'll just fetch one, shall I?" Harriet wondered if Birch's shop was still open. Could she pop in for a bar of chocolate and convince him to join the Force for half an hour?
"Clearly that is not possible, but there is another way. Whenever I am offline, you are in command."
"But if you're offline I can't give you orders."
"On the contrary. You can giv
e me orders, it is just that I will not hear them."
"So how does that fix anything?" said Harriet, her voice rising. Sometimes the robot was maddening. The rest of the time it was really maddening.
"After I resume operations, you can tell me which orders I missed."
"So let me get this straight. You switch off, I give you an order — which you can't hear — and when you wake up I tell you about the order I gave you? Which you then have to obey?"
"Correct. Are you ready?"
Harriet shrugged. "Go for it." Then, as Bernie closed her eyes. "I order you to be allowed to go outside."
"Not yet," said Bernie. "I am still shutting do-o-o … own."
"Now?"
There was no reply, so Harriet repeated the order.
Instantly, Bernie jerked back to life. "Did you repeal the order by invoking the station commander's privilege?" she asked.
"Yes, all of the above. Word for word, I promise. Now let's go."
Bernie gestured towards the lift. "To the armoury, Trainee Walsh! We must equip you with body armour, a helmet —"
"And a weapon," said Harriet grimly.
"We have none. They are banned on Dismolle."
"Someone forgot to tell Canitt's people." Harriet thought for a moment. "Can I take the practice gun?"
"It will not work outside the firing range, Trainee."
"They don't know that."
"You intend to … bluff? Will that work?"
"Just watch me."
Then Bernie dropped a bombshell. "Trainee, before we start I should recharge my batteries."
"No, Bernie, not now!"
"Perhaps, if I shut down non-essential functions, I might just last long enough for the entire mission."
"Good, let's go." Harriet turned to leave, but Bernie didn't move. "What is it?"
"Walking is a non-essential function."
"Give me strength," muttered Harriet. She got Bernie to switch her leg motors back on, and then by shoving and pushing she helped her into the lift. As the doors closed, she glanced at Bernie and felt a flash of sympathy. What would it be like, having to recharge every thirty minutes or so? "I swear, once we get through this you're ordering yourself a new set of batteries."